by Bobbie Smith

Created on: July 10, 2009

Chapter 6 The Name Game
A couple of days later they met at Anna's place. She wasn't entirely comfortable exposing these somewhat new friends to her inner world but they did make her feel so much better about life they made her feel safe.
She had managed to convince her mother that the girls wouldn't cause trouble they would just be practicing their music.

Some scales first? said Fatima. They sang rows and rows of notes all the way up and all the way down, long tones first, short tones last. Anna groaned with dismay.
She never liked warming up, always wanting to just jump in and sing. They didn't have any quartet songs yet so they stuck to ones they knew from the choir and a couple from the radio, making up parts wherever they forgot the words. They sang, and sang and sang until their cheeks were a breathless pink.
My head is hurting, said Anna. Singing four different parts in a choir with others to help is one thing, she thought, but singing a part alone was going to be really tricky. I've got to concentrate so much more, she said.
Yeah, me, too, said Fatima, otherwise I'll end up singing someone else's bit.
It certainly is harder, isn't it? said Emily.
You're right, said Christy, but I'm sure it'll get easier. We're just used to having forty-five other voices to help us. That's all.
I think we're done, said Emily.
I'll ask Mom to take you all home, said Anna. I'll be right back. The girls chattered on behind her about bits and pieces of things they sang tonight.
Anna tried to avoid another 'elephant' comment by descending the stairs as quietly as she could. She knocked on the door of her mother's little 'office' as she was not allowed in there under any circumstances. The house could be burning, her mother had warned her, and yet she was not to enter without knocking. It was always locked, so there was no chance Anna could sneak in and take a peak when her mother was out. And anyway, her mother rarely went out. She was always in. She was always in her little lion's den.
She heard her mom sigh heavily followed by a bit of scrambling. What did she do in there? Anna wondered.
Yes? her mother finally said. What do you want, Anna?
Anna swallowed. She had suddenly changed her mind. She didn't want to ask for anything after hearing a tone of voice like that. That was the tone that reappeared when she least expected it. It was the voice that reminded Anna of her elephant stomps, her giraffe-like clumsiness, and her dog-like laziness. But she couldn't

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